AnOther AzOther1 Semi-Life WSOP Trip Report, 2026
Coming in hot Sunday for 3 nights with former co-worker wingman Mike, same as last year. We're both staying at the Horseshoe. Should roll into town around noon or one pm. Probably late-reg the Salute to Warriors or maybe just do the $250 DDS, game time call. Pivoted from Ellis Island as I was checking rates and they came way down. Same price I was paying at EI, for ~1/2 what Mike booked two weeks ago (same I saw then, too).
3 nights at the 'Shoe, DDS or dailies somewhere, maybe some low-steaks two-card. Not exciting, but a much needed vacation and time to decompress a little. Wish I could have swung the Burning Spear show tonight (Fri), but just couldn't swing it. Maybe I'll look thru Vegas weeklies for other music options away from the casinos.
What to expect from this TR? As usual, more pics than words. Random food pr0n. Chip stack pr0n (touch wood). Poorly recalled hand histories. Scenery in/around Las Vegas and the desert Southwest. You know, the usual.
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I wanted to play the Salute. I had room reservations and everything, I just ran out of bankroll. That can happen when you lose everything you enter.
Check check check. Is this thing on? Can you hear me in the back?
OK, so obviously these was some issue with 2+2 that I found out on Sunday upon arrival at the Horseshoe. So instead of 'semi-live', this will be an ex-post facto recap. I didn't take any notes, so everything is being made-up from my spotty memory and the photos on my phone.
Buddy Mike and I drove up Sunday morning first thing, arriving at the Horseshoe Casino parking garage around noon. First thing I do is verify my WSOP account/payment/etc and immediately jump into the $500 Salute To Warriors.
Got my room assigned, so I dragged my stuff from Mike's during break. Horseshoe room is just fine for my needs...
Jon Pardy joins my table after the 5pm break.
We made it past the buy-in period, but was never above average stack.
I don't remember my knock-out hand, but I was gone just prior to the dinner break.
Stopping here for now.
Check check check. Is this thing on? Can you hear me in the back? OK, so obviously these was some issue with 2+2 that I found out on Sunday upon arrival at the Horseshoe. So instead of 'semi-live', this will be an ex-post facto recap. I didn't take any notes, so everything is being made-up from my spotty memory and the photos on my phone. Buddy Mike and I drove up Sunda
He actually seems like a down to earth dude was he funny?
Sorry, took a little trip to the coast for a day or three. Will pick up the narrative resuming Sunday evening post Salute knock-out shortly.
I've been following JP for a couple of years on YT, and he does seem like a good dude. Definitely funny. He was across the table (Seat 3 to my seat 9?) so we couldn't really interact too much.
Snap from post Salute bust-out of the Sphere. Looks really cool in motion!
I don't have any notes or further snaps from Sunday evening. I think I just did some light VP with Mike before crashing relatively early.
Monday morning means an excursion to Omelet House on Charleston. I had the Green Chili Verde omelet, with banana bread (not shown, so good!)
Afterward, I put my name on the 1-3 list at the Horseshoe. But then they announced they needed one more at the $200 sit-n-go, so I jumped on that. 10 players, 2 places paid - $1100, $600 ($300 rake? 15%? Not the worst.) 3k starting stack, 15 min levels, so turbo-y. Still one of my favorite formats, and I usually do pretty good. Very first hand, blinds at 100/100? I get 88 in the BB. One raise from UTG+1, folds around to me and I decide to defend. Flop is all under 8, and I decide to donk 1/2 pot or so (400 or 500 into 800?). OR jams. I figure AK/AQ/AJ/KQ are a large part of his holdings. Would bigger overpairs jam? Of course they could. I don't take long to call, board runs out no broadway cards and MHIG for a pure double up. I believe he had AJ.
That was it for winning hands, though. I wasn't next out, but literally 3rd or maybe 4th out. Everything whiffed and they always had it.
Next I jumped into the 1pm $250 DDS.
25k starting stack. I believe this (28.2k) was my high-point :( Was out by 5pm with no notable hands. I'd like to think if I were doing the TR "live" I would have documented/remembered more of these hands.
Monday happy hour was spent with 2+2er CowboyCold and buddy Mike mashing video poker at the bar. Many beers were consumed and a good time was had by all (I don't believe any of us won if anything major) I then went to the Horseshoe room to play cash. In for $300...
Out for ~$530 about an hour later.
No HHs from this session, just steady gains making hands and getting paid. Started feeling it not having eaten since that huge b'fast, I decide to hit the taco place outside the 'Shoe for a carne asada casadilla and chips n salsa. Was pretty meh CA (I'm spoiled in Az) but I really liked the salsa with the chips.
As usual, I fall asleep to Forensic Files, but at least I've learned to set the teevee timer 😀
Tuesday morning. No breakfast, just coffee (and Bailey's!) while mashing the video poker. By 9:30, I'm in a 1-3 game at the 'Shoe.
As an aside, Horseshoe poker room was insanely busy Sunday, Monday and into Tuesday. I found it to be well run, with competent dealers (mostly) and floor staff. Between the donkaments, the $200 SnG and all the cash games, it looked like most/all of the tables were in use, all the time (Maybe not at 9:30 in the morning, but certainly by noon).
So, we get off to a rocky start. Pkt 77s get it in on a flop that contains a 7 against Q4s, with two spades on the board. I don't survive. I'm felted and immediately add-on for $300. Next hand or two, same guy raises to $25 (big open). I'm on the button with AA (!!) and 3-bet to 75 off my fresh $300. He jams, I snap and he shows QQ and after a safe runout MHIG. Doubled to $600+
And I don't move off that stack until I cash out to grab a slice and consider another DDS.
I grab a slice and a lemonade at Sbarro, which isn't the worst pizza I've ever had, but nothing to write home about. Compared to the slice I had from the shops (not Grimaldi's) out front of the Shoe, it was better and cheaper. Must have got roofied, as I had intended to play the DDS but instead I went upstairs and crashed for like 3 hours and woke up groggy and not sure what day it was.
By 5:00, I'm back in the Horseshoe poker room...
I don't have a cash out picture, but I never left 'down' and I believe I noted a ~$165 win.
Around 9pm, I venture out to In n Out for a burger.
Consumed next to the fountain outside, despite the heat. I figure I must be in a few vlogs/tictocs/X/twitch/'gram posts based on the number of people filming around me.
After dinner, I buy in again for $300 at the Shoe...
And cash out a couple of hours later (around midnight) for a small profit:
That's it for Tuesday. Since I only have the one pic from Wednesday, I'll include it here...
I'm up and about, showered and packed and loaded by 8am. Mike meets me at the VP bar, and we hit Blueberry Hill for breakfast before heading out of town.
Gambling Breakdown:
Total tournament buy-ins: 3 ($500 Salute, $200 Sit n Go, $250 DDS) - $0 return
Cash game: +$250 over ~6-8 hours. Could definitely played more here.
-EV gambling: -$160 over 3 days.
Almost all VP, except for $20 on a $3 craps machine at Vanderpump on the way to InO.
Did note it was a 5x week (started Monday morning) so it'll be interesting to see where I end up. Day one I was into the VP ~$120, but I carried that slip around for the next 3 days and used it to gamble with. Didn't add another $20 until Tuesday evening, as well as the $20 at some call it Bill's.
Tuesday morning. No breakfast, just coffee (and Bailey's!) while mashing the video poker. By 9:30, I'm in a 1-3 game at the 'Shoe. As an aside, Horseshoe poker room was insanely busy Sunday, Monday and into Tuesday. I found it to be well run, with competent dealers (mostly) and floor staff. Between the donkaments, the $200 SnG and all the cash games, it looked like most/al
Did those sng's run somewhat regularly? When I was there I checked and there were 5 names on the list. I waited a bit and it never went to 6, so I left. I never got around to checking again.
Did note it was a 5x week (started Monday morning) so it'll be interesting to see where I end up. Day one I was into the VP ~$120, but I carried that slip around for the next 3 days and used it to gamble with. Didn't add another $20 until Tuesday evening, as well as the $20 at some call it Bill's.
With a little luck you also got credit for poker, which would be 170tc/hour.
Were you close to Diamond?
Sun, Mon and Tuesday they were calling those $200 SnGs pretty regularly. Usually they would get 10+ names on the list, call it down, then beg for 1-2 more players because someone didn't show. That's how I got in, and I noticed it was happening almost every time. Floor announced they were running these every day starting at 9:30, as often as possible.
I'm nowhere near Diamond, so this is mostly just my curiosity regarding my status. Would love to get more offers, but I'm probably too much of a nit to get anything good out of them. The fact that I could get 3 nights for $210 total at the 'Shoe felt like a win at least. Oh, and $60 for parking, of course.
Reviewing my results a bit closer, I realize I'm up closer to $400 in cash (all 1-3 at Shoe). Missed adding in one of the sessions.
Sun, Mon and Tuesday they were calling those $200 SnGs pretty regularly. Usually they would get 10+ names on the list, call it down, then beg for 1-2 more players because someone didn't show. That's how I got in, and I noticed it was happening almost every time. Floor announced they were running these every day starting at 9:30, as often as possible.
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same.
I never played one but they seemed to be going every few hours. I actually think if you have some sitngo/satellite skills these things would be very profitable to grind. Albeit iirc they were 20% rake....1100 and 500? But I may be mistaken?
Sun, Mon and Tuesday they were calling those $200 SnGs pretty regularly. Usually they would get 10+ names on the list, call it down, then beg for 1-2 more players because someone didn't show. That's how I got in, and I noticed it was happening almost every time. Floor announced they were running these every day starting at 9:30, as often as possible.I'm nowhere near Diamond,
Depending on how often you go to Vegas, it may or may not be worth it to go for Diamond. If it's twice a year, it's marginal. Three times a year, and I think it's worth it. On your 3 day trip alone, you'd save $60 for parking and $150 in resort fees. Plus, there are the intangibles - move to the top of poker lists, and $100 "celebration dinner" twice. If you can do it during a 10x multiplier, it's an easy choice.
I love the SnG format. I basically play these $3 on Global all day. I'd like to think I have mad skillz, but I probably just get lucky. Wish WSOP still did these regularly. Oh, and Bravo confirms the 1100/600 split at the 'Shoe. 15% rake.
I used to go to the WSOP mostly for the single table satellites, now extinct. I was looking forward to playing these Horseshoe ones, maybe I was too early in the Series and word hadn't gotten around yet.
